Means for maintaining a reserve supply of fuel in fuel tanks



June 21, 1927. 1,633,046

H. D. STARR MEANS FOR MAINTPAINING A RESERVE SUPPLY OF FUEL 'IN FUEL TANKS Filed March 25, 1925 Inl/enor Jbward Dean, Jzrr Patented June 21, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOWARD DEAN STARR, or LONG REACH, CALIFORNIA.

MEANS FOR MAINTAINING A RESERVE SUPPLY OF FUEL IN FUEL TANKS.

Application filed. March 25, 1925. Serial No. 18,146.

This invention relates to variable level outlets for fuel tanks, which may be manually adjusted to create or tap a reserve supply. 4

An object of my'invention isto automatically insure a reserve supply of fuel at each filling of the tank.

Other objects are to provide a means of maintaining a reserve fuel supply, which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and which may be readily installed in the tank.

Another object is to provide ayieldable means, manually controlled to vary the outlet from the tank.

A further object is to provide means controlled by the tank filler cap, to automatically insure a reserve supply of fuel.

A feature of my invention is the provision of a connection between the filler cap and the reserve fuel supply means, whereby the removal of said filler cap from the tank will operate through the connection to insure a reserve fuel supply.

Other objects, advantages andfeatures of invention may appear from the accompanying drawing, the subjoined detailed description and the appended claims.

The accompanying drawing illustrates the invention.- v

Figure 1 is a plan view of my apparatus as applied to a tank, a portion of which is shown.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectional. View of my apparatus,showing. a reserve supply of fuel in the tank.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary partly sectional view of a slightly modified form of apparatus for maintaining a fuel reserve.

Fig. l is a sectional view on line m4, Fig. 3.

This invention is particularly applicable to motor vehicle fuel tanks, but may also be applied toV other tanks. if desired.

The tank 1 has a threaded inlet 2 into which a suitable cap 3 fits. An outlet boss 4 is provided in the bottom of the tank 1, and is internally threaded to receive the externally threaded upper end 5 of a fitting 6.

The lower end 7. of the fitting is internally threaded to receive a valve 8 from which valve the supply pipe 9 extends. A lstand pipe 10 is fitted into the upper end of the fitting 6 and rises above the bottom of the tank 1, any desired distance. This pipe is preferably sweated into a hole in the top of the fitting-6, although any other desirable method of joining the pipe and tting may be employed.

A hole or port 11 is provided in the top of the fitting 6, 'adjacent the pipe 10, and on or about the level of the bottom of the tank.

A valve rod 12 is seated in the port 11, and extends upwardly through a hole 13 in the top of the tank 1, and projects a short distance above the top of said tank.

A conical valve seat 14 is formed on the bottom of the rod 12, and a pin 15 depends from the rod, and extends through the port 11, which assures the proper return and seating of the seat 14:.l l

The rod 12 is yieldably held on its seat in the port 11 by a spring 16 surrounding Said rod and bearing against a collar 17 on the rod and against the top of the tank. The collar may be a washer held in position by a pin 18 extending through the rod or any other desirablemeans may be employed.

To seal the hole 13, a fibrous washer 19 surrounds the rod 12 within the tank and the spring 16 bears against it to hold it against the tank about said hole. i

Normally the rod 12 is seated in the port 11, permitting no fuel to pass through said port. Vhen the fuel level is above the pipe 10, it will flow through said pipe, fitting 6, valve 8 and pipe 9. The pipe open;

ing being above the bottom of the tank; a reserve willremam which cannot be tapped p through the pipe.

The rod 12 may now be raised to open the port 11, thus permitting all of the fuel in the tank to be drained therefrom through the port 11. The rod is held in a raised position by a pin 20, extending through an elongated hole 2l. in the rod, the pin resting on the top of the tank 1.

The rod 12 is positioned to one side of the cap 3, and a flexible connection 22 such as a chain joins the pin and cap. A bolt` 23 secures the chain to the cap.V In assembling, with the cap 3 seated, a hole for the bolt 23 is drilled on the side nearest the rod 12, so that when the pin 2O is in said rod the chain 22 will be taut.

Thus when the cap is rotated to remove it and refill the tank, the chain 22 is automatically pulled by this motion and the pin retracted, which permits the spring 16 to automatically force the rod 12 to a seat in the port 11, and thus insure a reserve supply of fuel.

In practice, I have found it advisable -to llO tilt the pipe l a slight outward angle so it will escape the rod l2 when threading the fitting 6 into the tank. p

shown ,in Figs. 3 `and l, the lit-ting 25 Y threaded into the bottoni of the tank has a tubular extension 26 rising therefrom into the tank. A slot 27 is formed in extension 26 `and extends `thelength thereof, and to the level of the bottom of the tank- I `A rod 28 similar to rod l2 is mounted in andslidably fits the extension 26. This rodnormally Vseats on a seat 29 in the fitting 25, and is provided with a duct 30 which eX- tends from above the topofthe extension 26, when the rod is seated, and Communicates with the bore of the fitting2.

The operation and posi-tion of the rod 28 is identicalv to that of the rod 12 already i described.

.i fitting 6 home, after which valve 8 and pipe 9 may. be Connected to the fitting. to complete the assembly. i.

The assembly of the device shown in Fig. 3 will be apparent from the foregoing.

I elaim:1 l. `In combination with a tank, a' fitting .mountedlin said tank, said fitting having an opening above the bottom of said tank and a second opening at the bottom of the tank, a rod seated in said second opening andextending through the top of the tank, resilient means normally holding said rod y seated ;v a pin adapted to extend through said In the modified form of my inventionL y said in when the Cap is being removed.`

n combination with a tank, a fitting threaded into said tank, a tube risingfrom said tting intothe tank, said fitting having aport at the-bottom level of said tank, a rod normally seated in said port and exu tendingV throughthe` top of saidltnk, a spring surrounding said iod and urging to its seat in the port; arpin adapted to engage said rod to hold it unseated,` a filler clap,vand a flexible connection between said cap and said pin, whereby said pinnis retracted when the cap isgbeingff removed.

3. In combina-tion' with a tank lhaving a Vrfiller cap, afitting mounted inV said tank,

said fitting havingan opening above the bottom'of said tank anda second opening at the bottom of the tank,. a` rod seated Vin saidsecond, opening and extending throu h the top of the tank, resilient means normal y .holding saidfrod seated.; said rod having a slot therein. adjacent -the top thereof, said slotfbeing adapted to be raised above the top of" the tank when the rod is iinseated, a pin adapted to extend through said slot and rest on said tank tolhold the rod unseated, vand `flexible mean-s .secured to said pin and cap, whereby said pin is retracted When `the capis rotated to remove the same from the tank. Y y Y 'l In testimony.-whereof1 AhaveV hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California,this 5th day of Marchv 1925.

nowiian DEAN STARR; 1 

